


Proposing Is A Great First Date

by camichats



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Getting Together, Good Regulus Black, Happy Ending, James Potter Being an Idiot, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Marauders, Marriage Proposal, Oblivious James Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-15 18:54:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18675484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/camichats/pseuds/camichats
Summary: On the one hand, it seemed like a mistake to propose to Sirius when they weren't even dating. On the other hand, fuck you Moony this is a great idea.





	Proposing Is A Great First Date

On the one hand, it seemed like a mistake to propose to Sirius when they weren't even dating. On the other hand, fuck you Moony this is a great idea.

Remus blinked at him, expression incredulous. " _How_ is this a great idea? I don't think it's exaggerating when I say this is the worst idea you've ever had." James definitely thought that was an exaggeration, because he remembered some of his ideas at Hogwarts and they weren't gems. "Do you even fancy him?"

"He's my best mate."

"That's not the same."

"Course not, this is better."

Remus looked like he was about to scream in frustration. "James, you don't marry someone because you're friends."

"My parents say that you should be best friends with the person you marry. Sirius is my best friend, therefore-"

"No. Absolutely not. That is _not_ what they meant."

"You know that for sure?"

"Yes! I do!"

"Now who's exaggerating? Besides, they didn't say anything about it when I told them I was going to propose."

Remus was a gaping statue at that. "I can't believe you did better than me at school. James. Do your parents _know_ that you aren't dating?"

James blinked at him guilelessly. "Why wouldn't they? I never told them we were together."

"Think about it! How many married couples do you know that are 'just friends'?"

"I wouldn't know, would I? I'm not a nosy bastard." The _unlike you_ went unsaid.

"You are so," Remus mumbled, but that wasn't the point. He rubbed his hands over his face, feeling the last traces of his patience hanging on by a spider's web. "James, I want you to do one thing for me. Just one."

"What is it?" James asked suspiciously, clearly not trusting that Remus wouldn't say 'don't propose to Sirius'.

"Tell Regulus about this. And not just that you're proposing, I want you to explain that you and his brother aren't dating."

"I don't see what's in this for me."

"If he gives you the all clear after knowing the entire situation, then go ahead and ask Sirius. I'll stop badgering you about it, solemnly swear."

"Deal."

They walked away from that agreement, both of them confident that things would turn out in their favour. Remus thought of Regulus as the most reasonable person within their group-- extended though it was these days-- and Reg had grown rather protective of his brother since they reconnected. He'd talk some sense into James, whether the Marauder liked it or not. James was confident that Regulus would agree with his reasoning for, well, the same reason as Remus. Regulus was smart and cared about Sirius, so clearly he'd agree with him. Because honestly, who was going to love Sirius better than James? Answer: no one.

James apparated home to his and Sirius's flat-- a temporary location while they looked at new houses and Potter properties alike-- and sent a floo message to Reg asking if they could meet for lunch or a cuppa.

He didn't know what Remus was freaking out over, it's not like Sirius was going to say no. At least, he didn't think he would. Sirius would get randomly commitment-phobic at times, and sad though it would be, that was a possibility for when he proposed. He _really_ hoped that wouldn't happen, because what did people do when they got turned down in a proposal? There was no graceful way of bowing out or pretending you were fine if that happened. And what would he do with the ring? He'd already bought it, and okay honestly he'd bought the ring thinking that it would look nice on Sirius's hand, and then the jeweler asked him when he was planning on asking, and as he made up a story about who it was and how they got together, the plan to propose to Sirius formed.

A minute later, the floo roared, and Regulus stepped into the room, brushing soot from his robes. "I've got half an hour and plenty of energy to gossip; let's do this."

James was a bit surprised since he'd been thinking about meeting later today, but then he remembered that he'd forgotten to specify a time. Besides, the sooner they talked, the sooner he could propose. "Come in," James said, nodding at the kitchen table, "I'll put the kettle on." It only took a minute to flick his wand at the kettle until it was hissing, to grab the cream and sugar for the table, and to set the tea bags in mugs to steep.

"So," Regulus said, swirling the tea bag through the water by the string, "what's new?"

"I'm planning on proposing to Sirius, and Remus thinks it's a bad idea."

"Ah. So you called me to take sides?"

"Basically."

"Why's he against it?"

"He says that since we're not dating it would be stupid."

Regulus didn't react to that, just kept dragging his tea bag through the liquid as he looked at James. "You're not together?"

"No."

"Hm." He added some sugar, then went back to stirring it. "It is unusual. But," he said with a shrug, "the sort of unusual that Sirius likes being a part of."

"So you think it's a good idea?"

"I don't think it's a completely horrible one."

James grinned. "Thanks."

Regulus didn't point out that his response wasn't necessarily agreeing with James, but he was also aware that arguing wouldn't do a bloody thing. So he kept any additional feelings about it to himself and brought the mug up to his lips for a drink. "Alistair is on another level with the hippogriff shit he's been pulling, recently. Lucy's not going to take it forever, and I, for one, hope I get to be there when he gets fired."

James laughed, diving head first into the gossip like he always did when they met up.

* * *

James cleaned up the flat, making sure everything looked perfect for when Sirius got home. Which he did, a few minutes after James finished and was contemplating if he had the time to clean the ceiling fan. He'd decided that he did, which meant that right as Sirius walked in, James was putting a chair under the fixture about to step up.

"Are we having a dinner party?" Sirius asked, looking around the spotless flat.

"A dinner party with a guest list of two: you and me."

"Isn't that true every night?"

"Yeah, but tonight's special."

"How so?"

"You'll see," James said with a wink.

"I'm not very good at waiting," Sirius warned, but there was a smile on his face that meant he was excited for whatever James had planned.

James put the chair back at the kitchen table and dusted it off even though there was nothing there. "Well we won't have a problem then will we? Food should be here in twenty minutes."

"And you're not going to tell me what all this is about until after we eat."

"You need to take a shower before then, it'll be like no time at all has passed before you know." It would also give James the time to retrieve the ring and dress in something proposal worthy.

However, James found all of his clothes markedly unworthy, and was dressed in the same thing when Sirius got out of the shower, as he had been when Sirius got in. Oh well, it's not like Sirius's answer was dependent on how nice he looked. He walked out of the loo dressed only in boxers and still toweling off his hair, and James's heart beat harder in his chest.

"I hope you realise that I'm giving up a lot to dress in anything other than sweats to your special dinner."

" _Our_ special dinner," James corrected. In his failure to find a new wardrobe, he'd forgotten to retrieve the ring, and it would be suspicious for him to grab it now.

There was a knock on the door, and James left to go answer it. He set the food on the table and started unpacking it, only knowing that Sirius had arrived when arms circled around his waist and Sirius's chin rested on his shoulder. "Ooo Indian, you're spoiling me." He pressed a kiss to James's cheek, making him feel warm inside.

"You deserve it."

Sirius laughed, walking around towards the table and sitting down. "You are great for my ego, I hope you know that."

"We get along pretty great, don't we?"

"Er yeah Jamie, that's why we're best mates."

"Well yes, but have you ever thought that maybe we should do more than share a flat together?"

"I thought we were planning on moving to a house soon. Does that count?"

"You know what I mean."

"I really don't." Sirius opened one of the cartons and dug in. "Perhaps you should enlighten me?"

"Will you marry me?"

Sirius froze. He finished chewing and set his food down. He looked at James like he was expecting for him to laugh and say 'just joking'. "We're not a couple."

"I know, but what does that matter?"

"What does it- James! People get married when they're so in love that they can't bear to spend the rest of their life without them."

"That's how I feel about you," James replied.

"You're in love with me?"

"I- well I _love_ you, isn't that enough?"

"Not for a marriage."

"You're saying no."

Sirius covered his face with his hands. "Of course I'm saying no. James, you can't just ask me to marry you when we still have the opportunity to meet other people and fall in love."

James swallowed thickly. "I guess I should have listened to Remus then huh."

Sirius froze, then dropped his hands. "You talked to Remus?"

"Yeah, wanted to know if he'd be happy for us. It was stupid," James said, pushing himself back from the table, "I never should have-" He stopped when Sirius grabbed his arm.

"Did Remus say anything about-" Sirius cleared his throat "-me?"

James blinked. "Well I mean, we were talking about my idea, so a little bit yeah. Why?"

"Nothing, forget about it," he said, dropping his hand, but James didn't move.

"No no no, why did you ask that? What were you afraid Remus told me?"

Sirius cleared his throat again, and when he talked it was quiet. "That I'm in love with you. That I have been since we were fourth years running around Hogwarts together. He- Remus, he always thought I should tell you. Guess if I had we could've avoided this..." he trailed off trying to think of a word to accurately describe what just happened, but he couldn't so he remained silent.

"Oh."

"I'm not really that hungry, thanks for it though, it tastes great," Sirius said, rushing from the table and past James towards his room, closing the door resolutely behind him.

There was a single, very awkward day in which they avoided each other and only glimpsed each other once as James was scrounging about for food, and Sirius was headed on his way out. James thought about it and figured out what he was feeling, then sat on the couch and waited for Sirius to get home. It took a ridiculously long time in his opinion. How long did Sirius need to be out and about anyways? There weren’t people more interesting than him, after all.

It's not like James was impatient or anything, but the beautiful speech he'd planned-- talking about their many years of friendship and how James hadn't been able to realise that it was _love_ love he felt until he'd heard Sirius say it-- went out the window. It felt like the timing was no longer perfect and that annoyed him, so when Sirius came home, he just sorta threw the ring at him and said, "I love you too, you prat. If we have a long engagement we can get through all the dating milestones before the wedding."

With a fumbling hand, Sirius caught the ring box, peeking it open. "You... bought me a ring."

"Well I wasn't bloody well going to propose without one, was I? And by the way," he said, getting to his feet and walking over to Sirius, "if anyone asks, you said yes the first time I asked."

"Technically I haven't said yes yet."

"I know you want to date, so we might as well save ourselves the time and start planning the wedding."

"I don't think this is how relationships go," Sirius commented, but he put the ring on his finger and admired the way it looked. "We haven't even had our first kiss."

"We've kissed before."

"Drinking games don't count."

"Now's the perfect time to fit one in that _does_ count."

Sirius fisted a hand in James's shirt and pulled him forward, sealing their mouths together like he never intended to let go.

"The next time you jerk me around like that," Sirius growled, "I will kill you. When I say 'I love you', you say it back. Let's try. James, I love you."

"Aww you love me? That's so cute, my fiance-"

"I am going to bloody kill you."


End file.
